SpotLight: Captain Paul Creighton

The Spotlight Column introduces the most interesting, famous and exquisite residents. The questionnaire is almost the same and what makes each interview unique is the subject’s answers and reactions. And of course the first one had to be...

*SL Name: Paul Creighton
*Rez day: April 28, 2010
*Best moment in SL: Opening the second Swing Times region.

ST: What inspired you to create Swing Times?

PC: I have been a fan of the period, the 30s and 40s, my whole life. I really like the potential for community that Second Life provides. So, it was just a natural progression to want to work on a Sim that combined both. The result of that progression is Swing Times.

ST: Which is the most challenging aspect of having a community such as Swing Times? How do you keep everyone happy here?
PC: Having a community doesn't take a lot of work, but it does take a lot of faith. I have faith that our residents will want Swing Times to be the best place of its kind. The challenge is convincing everyone who is a part of the project to have that same faith in every other person who is in the project. As far as keeping everyone happy, I don't try. I do try to be fair and to allow everyone the opportunity to express him or herself, to put their mark on Swing Times. If that is fulfilling for the residents, then they will be happy and stay.

ST: What was your proudest moment in regards to Swing Times so far?
PC: Monday, April 9 at 7pm SLT. That was our Easter Parade. That was the first time I saw the whole community come together for an event. The residents paraded around our green, which was filled with residents' gardens. Everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves and the chat was about how much we enjoyed each other's company and the direction in which we all wanted to see Swing Times head. That was the moment that Swing Times stopped being "my project" and started being "our project."

ST: How do you see the future of Swing Times?
PC: Swing Times is still growing but I think that our future will be along the lines that we've experienced so far. The overall vision of a Swing Era community will drive the future but new people will join the project and take it in a slightly different direction, each adding their own touch and enriching the overall Swing Times experience for everyone.

ST: I know you’re always incredibly busy, but fill us in on your daily tasks.
PC: I don't have a regular daily routine. Some days I'm building. Some days I'm meeting with people. The two things I do every day are: change the ground textures and walk around. The first thing I do when I arrive in-world every morning is change the ground texture just a bit. The ground in Swing Times is usually grass, and that is a collection of living plants, so I like to see the textures change a little bit each day. When we have a big event, I like to have most of the grass textures being short cut grass, as if the ground crews got the green ready for the big event with a good mowing. Sometimes we have special events that inspire something other than grass, like when we flooded the town so we could have a mermaid dance on the green. We had ocean bottom textures that day. The following day, I added a little grass. Then more grass each day, as if the grass was slowing returning. I don't know how many people notice it, but those who do seem to like it.
The other thing I do, usually right after tweaking the ground textures, is walk around a bit.  I take a different route each day, but I like to see what people have been up to. In a week, I pretty much cover the entire region. It always amazes me when I see how creative people are with what they bring to Swing Times.

ST: What do you like to do in the spare time you find?
PC: I usually spend my spare time flying a dirigible. I like visiting places and seeing them from the air. I also explore on foot, but flying in a lighter-than-air craft is something that I just enjoy. I try to fly at least once a week around Swing Times, too.

ST: If you were offered one million dollars or the ability to have one superpower for the rest of your life, what would you choose and why?
PC: I would take the superpower. My power would be the ability to tell if someone is telling the truth. I can't stand phonies. This power would save me a lot of time and allow me to spend my time and effort on the people who truly deserve it.

ST: What or who is your favourite and why…
PC:  Animal? Rhinoceros. They are fierce defenders of their families, although slow to anger.
       Superhero? Knight of the Sky. He is a mythic hero from the period of history in which I am primarily interested. That, and he is my own creation.
       Place to live? In the woods. Nowhere else are the change of seasons more strongly felt. It is always quiet, but rarely silent.
       Place to vacation? By a mountain lake. I love the water, sailing, paddling around, or swimming. The views from the mountains are just breathtaking.
       Season of the year? Autumn. I love the smell of the leaves. Being a farm boy, it is the most important time; everything we did in the previous year, comes to fruition in autumn.
       Book? Starship Troopers. It was written by Heinlein at the height of his skills. It examines social and political questions in a way accessible to young people while still being an incredible tale of adventure.
       Movie? Citizen Kane. I love the sweeping scope that film can provide, condensing a man's life into a few hours. Kane does that better than any other and is just beautiful to watch.
       Celebrity? His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama. His wisdom and his ability to communicate are unparalleled by his contemporaries.
       Hobby? Slot car racing. It has all the thrills of racing full-scale vehicles, but with a tiny fraction of the cost and danger. It's also a great way for people from multiple generations to participate in the same activity.